Business team from Pakistan to visit Belgium 
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

KARACHI: A business delegation from Pakistan will visit Belgium at the end of November to enhance the volume of trade between the two countries, Director General EPB Meer Mohammad Parihar said at the Belgium Food Festival held here on Sunday.

"With more participation in trade fairs we can further enhance the trade volume", he said.

Parihar said that the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) would welcome any suggestions from chambers, federations, traders and business community for enhancing the volume of trade.

He also urged holding regular meeting of trade commissioners of the two countries to sort out problems faced by traders.

Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Belgium in Islamabad Christophe Payot addressing the Food Festival said that the trade volume between Belgium and Pakistan is around 400 million Euro a year, with the positive balance for Pakistan on the rise.

He said that Pakistani exports to Belgium increased by almost 10 per cent in 2004 to reach a record of 220 million Euro and according to the last figures, there seems to be a consolidation in 2005.

Christophe Payot said that on the other hand, the Belgian exports to Pakistan have experienced a sharp increase of 40 per cent in 2005.

He said Belgium is the 13th biggest exporter to Pakistan and is 6th among the European Union countries. He said "Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s visit to Brussels in January 2005 contributed a lot in closer contacts between our business communities, but also to further strengthening of our bilateral reactions".

He said that after Karachi the Food festival will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad. Regarding participation of his country in relief and rescue operation of earthquake hit areas of NWFP and Kashmir, he said that Belgium was the first to establish a field hospital in Ghari Dopata on October 11, with seven doctors, 11 paramedics and in twelve days provided medical assistance to over two thousand injured.

Earlier, Trade Commissioner Abid Hussain in his speech said that Belgium while representing 0.2 per cent of the world population accounts for 3.3 per cent of world exports. The ratio of Belgium’s exports to GDP is a significant 71 per cent.

President Pakistan-Belgium Business Forum Zahid Dada welcoming the participants said "we have especially arranged an executive chef from Marriot Hotel in Brussels to prepare authentic Belgian cuisine."●